Basle 2 Manchester Utd 1:Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League in Basle tonight as Alex Ferguson's men failed to recovered from Marco Streller's ninth-minute goal.

Alexander Frei added another six minutes from time and though Phil Jones pulled one back it was too little, too late for United.

United started on the offensive, with Wayne Rooney attempting to thread a pass through to Park Ji-sung and Ashley Young having a cross blocked.

Ryan Giggs then slotted a pass through to Park, whose shot on the turn curled harmlessly over.

Basle’s first period of pressure ended in disappointing fashion when Xherdan Shaqiri floated a cross from the by-line straight to David de Gea.

A firm Chris Smalling challenge prevented Alexander Frei spinning into the United box.

But disaster was about to strike for United when Shaqiri chased down a loose ball following a collision between Smalling and Nemanja Vidic and was allowed to advance down the by-line before drilling a low cross into the six-yard box.

For some reason, De Gea went to kick the ball away rather than try to dive on it, succeeding only in sending it straight to Basle skipper Streller, who promptly sent his first-time shot into the net.

It was a shattering blow for United, who knew they had to score otherwise they were out of the competition at this early stage for the first time since 2005.

Nani’s 20-yard strike soared over as the visitors tried to rally.

Rooney, who more than anyone needed to heed his manager’s pre-match demand for discipline, was not happy when referee Bjorn Kuipers failed to spot him being blatantly obstructed by Granit Xhaka.

Xhaka was booked when he took out Smalling in a very similar position to the one he had flattened Rooney a few minutes earlier.

United should have equalised just before the half-hour when Nani curled a cross to the far post which seemed to present Rooney with a tap-in.

Inexplicably, the striker failed to get proper contact and the ball bounced back across the Basle six-yard box, with Park unable to turn it home either.

Giggs released Rooney with a brilliant reverse pass that was even applauded by sections of the home crowd but United did not profit as Yann Sommer gathered the shot.

Nani had an effort charged down as the pressure began to mount, then Jones found his progress blocked after Giggs picked him out with a free-kick.

Sommer saved Young’s effort after Xhaka had been fortunate none of the officials spotted a clear handball, though Ferguson certainly did.

Vidic went down in obvious pain after a tangle of legs involving Streller and was immediately stretchered down the tunnel, triggering the introduction of Jonny Evans, while Giggs was booked for arguing with Kuipers in the final minute of stoppage time.

United had a glorious chance right at the start of the second half, when Giggs sent Rooney racing clear. The striker opened up his body to give him more room to aim for the far corner, but his effort was off target. Nani then had a go from long range but Sommer saved comfortably.

Streller picked out Shaqiri with an excellent cut-back but the youngster’s effort sailed just wide.

If De Gea had been at fault for the goal he made up for it with a magnificent save to tip over Alexander Frei’s goalbound free-kick.

A brilliant tackle from Smalling then denied Fabian Frei a shooting chance.

Successive corners failed to bring any reward but United almost profited in the most bizarre manner when Patrice Evra crossed from the right.

Trying to hook the ball away from danger at the far post, Markus Steinhofer caught it all wrong and succeeded only in rattling it against his own crossbar. Unfortunately for the visitors, it bounced out, not quite near enough for Young to take any advantage.

Rooney cut a shot wide before Danny Welbeck was introduced in place of Young. Nani then fired over, leaving Rooney frustrated as he waited for a pass.

Rooney had a shot deflected wide 15 minutes from time and after collecting possession from a half-cleared corner, curled his shot marginally off target.

Sommer came to collect Jones’s low cross just before Giggs could pounce, then, on a rare Basle break, Shaqiri had a shot blocked by Evans.

With time running out, Ferguson sent on Federico Macheda, but it seemed the belief had gone and with six minutes left, Alex Frei’s close-range finish appear to end any hope.

But, this being United, they wouldn’t go down lightly and in the melee that followed Macheda hitting the bar, Jones’s header just crossed the line to set up a tense finish.

It was too late though and Basle were able to celebrate the greatest night in their history.